.38 and .357 loads

[moulton]

im picking up my gp-100 4 inch stainless steel in .357 mag next monday and am wondering on some loads. I want to get some .38 for plinking and some .357 for "experementing" (blowing my arm off). I alsoo want some .357 for Home Defence and some for... Boar hunting, Rabbit hunting and Snake loads... What would you guys suggest?

[metalhead357]

Simple solution...

New Gun= Buy a variety of brands and loads....find what the GUN likes... go buy more

[461]

Best advice, learn to reload and buy the equipment. You won't save a dime but you'll be able to shoot a whole lot more for the same money and you can have any rounds you want tailor made for your gun. Easy and fun and may become another hobby all its own.

[big jon]

what to shoot

I think you made a good choice in hand guns, your 357 is very usefull in alot of different ways. the ruger can handel realy hot loads for hunting and they shoot realy straight,your not going to out grow it for a while.I think it can open a door in the reloading area, i started reloading with my older brother when i got my first pistol, its not that much money to start and after a while its a breeze, as for 38 vs 357 i learned over the years that trick to shooting good is shooting alot so shoot what ever you can afford and save all the brass you can.have fun, happy hunting

[Rnovi]

I'm new to the board here, but have had a 6" stainless GP100 for near 12 years now (it's been so long I can't really remember...). I also reload for it. You really gotta ask yourself how much you intend to shoot the weapon.

For Boar: 180 grain loads at 1300fps is pretty much what you need to achieve.
Available at Midway: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=671546
Federal Cast Core is factory ammo at $18 per box of 20. Listed at 1250 fps.
Buffalo Bore Cast: $18 per 20 rounds, 1400 fps list.
Grizzly Cast: $22 for 20 rounds. 1350 fps.

Don't screw around with anything less than those loads for Boar. You will need very heavy penetration for an effective kill. I personally load an SSK 180 gr. hardcast bullet over a sizeable quantity of 2400 powder and get 1400 fps out of my GP100. These loads pack a wallop - you know you've just touched off something special. I find them controllable. YMMV.

.38 specs for practice loads. I put out around 4k of .38's a year and around 1k of hot .357's.

For defence, 125 gr hp's are pretty much the go-to round. I like them loaded around 1400fps for defence, but have pushed them to over 1600fps. The muzzle blast is absolutely ferocious.

For bunny busting, I use a 148gr wadcutter in a .38 spec case loaded to around 850 fps. Does the job. Rabbits just aren't that tough. No point in using a full blown maggie on a wabbit.

Coyote, I'd go with a 158 gr hp around 1300+ fps. You might be trying to hit them at longer ranges so you want some distance out of the load. Full 357's are worth it for them.

For snake, I'd just use a light .38 spec like the rabbit load. A 20guage with #8's is fantastic snake medicine. A .38 spec with snakeshot is marginal from what I have heard...

My GP holds 1" groups from a rest at 25 yards with my 180 gr. loads. Really, it's a great gun and it's tough to go wrong here.